Hydraulic system for clothes driers



2 Sheets-Sheet- 1- -MI!I@I,WUVH

' Nov, 26, 1935..

C. VAN WESTRUM' HYDRAULIC SYSTEM FOR CLOTHES DRIEHS Filed Feb. 24, 1934 l all H. 7 H

i :ll l ii/ Nov. 26,1935. c. VAN WESTRUM HYDRAULIb SYSTEM FOR CLOTHES DRIERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 24, 1954 Patented Nov. 26, 1935 t I Q I v um'rso STATES PATENT OFFICE I aozaus' HYDRAULIC SYSTEM FOR CLOTHES DBIEBS Colby Van watmm, Chicago, 111., assignor to Electric Household Utilities Corporatio Cicero, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application February 24, 1934, Serial No. 112.150 Y 3 claims. (or. rot-o) My invention relates to improvements in which provides a pressure chamber for thewater clothes driers of the squeezer type in which the between the bowl wall and the bag; when the. j

clothes are "compressed in a container to squeeze clothes are in place in the bag 3 and water under the water therefrom, and more particularly to. pressure of the pump is supplied to the squeeaer.

. 5 the hydraulic system for said machines. bowl, the pressure collapses the flexible bag and 5 I The general object of my invention is to pro- "compresses the clothes within the bag. The

I vide an eflective hydraulic system for said driers, squeezer bowl also has an air vent (not shown) in which a pumpsupplies fluid under pressure which permits the escape of air when displaced toa squeezer bowl from a reservoir or container, by water. and if the water is supplied too fast the 'to which the fluid is quickly returned upon. re- V escaping air makes'a whistling noise through the i0 lease of pressure. I vent. v

A further'obiect is to eliminate allnoise caused a The pressure pump E is positioned below the by the fluid flowing under high velocity through tub or container A and is directly connected to the system and to provide a valve means which the shaft 5 of the motor F which drives the bowl and which permits a rapid reverse or return below the tub A. The Pump is of the rotary type flow of fluid from the bowl to the reservoir. and includes a centrally divided housing 6, the Afurthe'r object is to provide a simple unitary parts of which aresecured together by a series of structure including a motor driven pressure pump fastening bolts 1., A chamber 0 is formed within and direct valve controlled passages between the thehousing for the rotor 0 which is supported in 20 pump and squeezer bowl for the flow of fluid to suitable bearings formed in the housing. Anan- 4 and from said bowl. nular chamber Ill is also formed within the hous- Other objects of the invention will appear from ing and surrounds the rotor chamber 8 and has the following description and drawings which communication with the rotor chamber through I illustrate one embodimentof the invention. a reduced circumferential slot or opening it. 25

In the drawings, This annular chamber ill with the narrow cir- Fig. 1 is a general view of a clothes drier struccumferential slot forms awater cushion effect to ture, with the tub and squeezer bowl and the sllence'the rattling noise which would otherwise.

- passages shown in section; be caused by the water striking the casing wall Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail section of the pump as it leaves the periphery of the rotor. The rotor 30 and associated ducts or passages for the fluid; is a disc-like member having a plurality of tan,- Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of gentially disposed ports I! opening through the Fig. 2; and I periphery of the disc and communicating at their Fig. 4 is a view of the pump. rotor. inner ends, with an inlet port It formed in the The structure as a whole includes a cylindrical center of the disc and its hub. This inlet port 35 tub or container A supported at proper height opens into an inlet'chamber it formed in the upon a frame B which includes'supporting legs housing 6. The housing "6 has an upwardly di- 0, this structure being generally representative rected extension I! in which two ducts or passages of clothes driers of this type. The tub A conl6 and H are formed. The passage l6 communi- 4 tains a body of water D and serves as a reservoir cates with the'annular chamber 10 and forms'an 4 or supply from which water is drawn by the pump outlet for the pump. The passage i'l communiand supplied to thesqueezer bowl, and to which cates at its lower end IS with the inlet chamber. water is returned from the squeezer bowl when l4 and forms the inlet passage for the pump. the pressure is released. A casting 20 is secured to the center of the permitsthe regulated flow of fluid-to the squeeaer pump and which is also mounted 'in the frame l5 In the upper portion of the tub-above the bottom wall of the tub A by means of the flanges 45 water level-there is provided a cylindrical 2| and is suitably sealed in position to prevent squeezer bowl I having a rounded bottom wall leakage. This member has two passages 22 and and a removable cover 2 which is fastened in 23 formed therein, which are connected at their place to seal the upper open end of the bowl when lower ends by means ofv the pipes 24 and 25 fluid pressure is supplied to the bowl. The with the pump casing extension to form con- 50 squeezer bowl contains a flexible collapsible bag tinuations of the passages I6 and I1, respec- 3 within which the clothes tobe dried are placed. tively. The passage 23 communicates directly The bag is generally cylindrical with a rounded at its upper end 26 with the interior of the tub bottom somewhat conformingto the squeeer'bowl A, and the passage 22 communicates with an 66 and is spaced from the wall of the squeezer bowl enlarged valve chamber 21 formed in a portion o; the casting 20 which extends upwardly into the tub. The upperend of the valve chamber is connectedby means of a passage 28 with the interior of the squeezer bowl l,this passage being formed by a pipe which is mounted at its lower end in a cap member 29 of the valve chamber and at its upper end with a flanged bushing 38 sealed in the bottom wall of the squeezer bowl i. A ball check valve member 3| is positioned in. the chamber 21 and has va seat at the lower end 01' the passage 28 to close off said passage against the flow of water under pressure from i the pump. In its lower position, the ball valve,

however, rests upon a cross-pin 32 which prevents the ball from closing the upper end of the passage 22.

A small port 33 around the valve is formed in the cap 29 andcommunicates with the valve chamber 21 and with the passage 28 above the valve. This port serves as a by-pass around the -ball valve and is considerably smaller in' size than the other passages, the size being intended to regulate the flow of water under pressure to the squeezer bowl, so that the application of water pressure to the flexible 'bag and to the clothes therein will be gradual.

When the driving motor F is started, the pump operates to force water under pressure through the passages I6, 22, valve chamber 21, and passage 28, to the squeezer bowl I, and apply pressure therein to collapse the bag and squeeze water from the clothes. The flow of water under pressure instantly carries the ball valve 3| upwardly and lodges it against its seat, thereby closing the lower end of the passage 28; however, the water flows through the smaller by-pass 33 around the valve and into the squeezer bowl I. On account of the restricted passage of the by-pass 33, the pressure will be maintained in chamber 21 to hold the valve against its upper seat, and noise incident to a chattering valve or the flow of water through the passage will be eliminated. I 1

When the pressure is released by stopping the motor and pump, the valve member 3| will drop against the pin 32 and open the passage for the free flow of fluid by gravity downwardly through the passages 28, 21, 22 and I6, through the pump chambers and rotor ports, and thence upwardly through the passages I1, 23 and 26, to the sump or reservoir in the tub A. These passages are all relatively large and permit the 1. In a clothes drier oi the class described, the

combination of a tub forming a reservoir for water, a container in the tub above the level of the water therein to cause-the flow of water from the container to the reservoir by gravity, a pressure pump arranged to force water therethrough in one direction when operating and topermit water to flow in reverse direction therethrough when idle, means forming a passage connecting the reservoir with the container, said passage includingthe pump, a valve in said passage for closing the passage in the direction of flow of water under pressure to the container but permitting the free flow of water by gravity in the reverse direction of saidpassage from the container, and means forming a partially restricted by-pass around said valve, permitting the flow of water under pressure to the container inde-- pendently or the valve.

2. In a clothes drier of the class described, the combination of a tub forming a reservoir for a body of water, a container within the tub above the water level therein so that water will flow by gravity from the container to the reservoir, a rotary pump positioned below the tub, and arranged to permit the flow of Watertherethrough when idle, means forming a passage connecting the reservoir with the inlet of the pump, means forming an outlet passage for the pump leading to the container, a housing forming a chamber connected in said outlet passage, 9. ball valve member in the chamber adapted to be lifted by water under pressure flowing toward the container to close said outlet passage, said housing having a by-pass connecting said chamber with the passage beyond the ball valve mem-. ber, said by-pass being adapted to permit the flow of water under pressure to the container independently of the valve member, and means in the chamber preventing the valve from obstructing the fiow of water from the container to the reservoir through said passages and pump.

3. In a clothes drier of the class described, the combination of a container forming a reservoir for a. body of water, a pressure actuated squeezer mechanism within the container and above the water level-therein so that water will flow from the squeezer mechanism to the reservoir by gravity, means forming a passage from the reservoir to the squeezer mechanism, a pressureresponsive valve in said passage for closing the passage when the iiow of water under pressure is from the reservoir to the squeezer mechanism but permitting the flow ofwater by gravity from the squeezer mechanism to the reservoir, means forming a partially restricted by-pass around the valve to permit the flow of water under pressure to the squeezer mechanism, and a pump included in said passage and forming a part thereof for the flow of water in either direction in said passage, said pump having a rotor adapted when operating toforce water under pressure in the passage toward the squeezer mechanism.

CQLBY VAN WES'I'RUM. 

